Affiliate of the
International Commission of Jurists – Geneva

Member of the
International Federation for Human Rights – Paris

This
is the
fourth in a series of reports published by the Palestinian Centre for Human
Rights (PCHR) on assassinations committed by Israeli forces during the al-Aqsa
Intifada. This report documents assassinations in the period 1 May – 28
September 2002. PCHR has published three previous reports on assassinations
committed by Israeli forces.[1]
PCHR’s first report on assassinations, covering 29 September 2000-28 April 2001,
documented 13 assassination operations that killed a total of 13 targeted
Palestinians and 6 bystanders. The second report on assassinations, covering 29
April-28 September 2001, documented 26 assassinations that killed a total of 22
targeted Palestinians and 12 bystanders, including children. The third report
on assassinations, covering 29 September 2001-30 April 2002, documented 30
assassinations that killed 42 Palestinians and 16 bystanders, including 8
children.

In this most
recent period, Israeli
forces committed
20 assassinations,[2]
killing 55 Palestinians, including 28 targeted Palestinians and 27 bystanders,
14 of whom were children, 2 were elderly, and 4 were women. In addition, 141
Palestinians, including 2 targeted Palestinians and 139 bystanders were wounded,
some of whom sustained permanent disabilities.[3]

The total
number of assassinations carried out by Israeli forces from 29 September 2000 to
28 September 2002, has now reached a total of 91 operations, in which 105
targeted Palestinians and 61 bystanders, including 24 children, 7 women and 8
old people. In addition, 19 targeted Palestinians and 234 bystanders were
wounded. Most of these assassinations took place in the West Bank, where
Israeli forces committed 77 assassinations that left 84 targeted Palestinians
and 37 bystanders dead. In the Gaza Strip, 21 targeted Palestinians and 24
bystanders were killed in assassinations committed by Israeli forces. In the
first year of the Intifada, Israeli forces committed 41 assassinations, killing
35 targeted Palestinians and 18 bystanders, and wounding 65 others. In the
second year of the Intifada, Israeli forces committed 50 assassinations, killing
70 targeted Palestinians and 43 bystanders, and wounding 188 others.

The
international silence has encouraged Israeli forces to commit more grave
breaches, including war crimes, against Palestinian civilians.
Over the past few months, there has been a quantitative escalation in
assassination attempts by Israeli forces against Palestinians. Israeli forces
have employed F-16 fighter jets in assassination attempts.[4]
In the period under study, Israeli forces used F-16 fighter jets in two
assassination attempts in the Gaza Strip. On 14 July 2002, Israeli F-16 fighter jets launched two missiles at an uninhabited
house owned by ‘Aabdul Rahman Yousef ‘Aabdul Wahab. The first missile went
astray and fell onto a neighboring tract of agricultural land. The second
missile directly hit the facade, destroying parts of the second and ground
floors. According to ‘Abdul Wahab, his son Yousef, 24, who is wanted by Israeli
forces, was in the house with four of his friends. They were all able to escape
when the first missile hit the tract of agricultural land. On 22 July 2002, an
Israeli F-16 fighter jet launched a 1-ton missile at the house of Sheikh Salah
Shehada, who is wanted by Israel. The missile directly hit the house which
located in a highly populated area. The house and two others were totally
destroyed and 32 adjacent houses were seriously damaged. Sixteen Palestinian
civilians, including 8 children, the youngest of whom was only 2-month-old, were
killed. Two women and their five children, two old people, and Sheikh Salah
Shehada, his wife, daughter and bodyguard, were among the victims. More than 70
civilians were also wounded, one of whom lost his eye.

Israeli forces have also used other methods in
assassination attempts, most notably demolishing houses of targeted persons over
whomever inside.
In this context, on 14 August 2002,
Israeli forces surrounded a house in which Nasser Jarrar, 41, wanted by those
forces, had shelter in Tubas village near Jenin. An exchange of fire took place
between the two sides. Soon, Israeli military bulldozers demolished the house
over him. Jarra was physically handicapped.[5]

According to
PCHR's documentation, 38% of those killed and 93% of those injured in
assassination attempts by Israeli forces were bystanders and victims of the
"margin of mistakes" (not targeted according to Israeli claims). These facts
refute Israeli claims that assassinations are carried out accurately through
technologically advanced weapons, with the possibility of harming a limited
number of Palestinian civilians. These high numbers of casualties among
innocent civilians strongly indicate that Israeli forces carry out
assassinations with little or no regard for lives of bystanders.

The
Israeli government openly claims responsibility for liquidations and
unapologetically claims that such acts are part of a policy of "self-defense."
Yet circumstances of assassinations committed by Israeli forces refute Israeli
claims that they are part of a policy of "self-defense." For example, on 18
June 2002, Israeli forces shot dead Yousef Bisharat, 21, from Tammun village
near Jenin, before the eyes of people, after having arrested him at an Israeli
military checkpoint in Hebron. On 2 August 2002, Israeli forces shot dead Amjad
Jbour, 35, from Salem village near Nablus, after having arrested him at his
house. On 12 August 2002, Israeli forces shot dead Ghazal Fureihat, 21, from
al-Yamun village near Jenin, after having arrested him at his house, claiming
that he attempted to escape. On 14 May 2002, Israeli forces shot dead Lieutenant Colonel Khaled Abu al-Khairan,
38, from al-Fawar refugee camp near Hebron, and Lieutenant Ahmed ‘Abdul
‘Azziz Zama’ra, 26, from Halhoul village near Hebron, when they attempted to
escape in their car. One of the victims bled to death. On 16 May 2002, Israeli
forces shot dead Mohammed Taha Ahmed Ghannam, 21, with three live bullets in the
chest and the right leg. Then, they threw his body onto the street. Ghannam’s
body was taken to Ramallah Hospital. According to medical sources, Israeli
forces used sharp tools to distort his body.[6]

The period
under study witnessed a significant escalation in the use of Palestinian
civilians by Israeli forces as human shields during assassination attempts that
targeted Palestinian activists, even though lives of those civilians were
endangered.
On 2 August 2002, Israeli forcesraided the house of Rida Eshtayeh and
forced him to leave the house and accompany them towards the home of Amjad
‘Abdul Hadi Jbour, 35, a Hamas activist. They forced him to enter Jobour’s
house and ordered him to get out with his hands over his head and without
clothes covering the upper part of the body. When Jobour got out of the house,
Israeli forces arrested him and then shot him dead. On 14 August 2002, Israeli
forces took Nidhal ‘Abdul Ra’ouf Abu Muhsen, 19, out of his house in Tubas
village, near Jenin, to the cemetery of the village. They forced him to put on
a bullet proof suit, similar to that used by Israeli soldiers. They let a dog
follow him. They forced him to go to houses in the area and tell their
residents to leave, in an assassination attempt that targeted Nasser Jarrar.
Sounds of explosions and shooting were heard in the village. Jarrar was
killed. Later, Israeli forces delivered Abu Muhsen's body to the Palestinian
side, claiming that Jarrar shot him when he got close to the house.

Israeli forces
commit extra-judicial assassinations against Palestinian field and political
activists of various organizations, even though they can arrest and present
these activists to a fair trial.

The policy of
assassinations is officially adopted by the Israeli political and military
establishments, and judicially covered by the Israeli Supreme Court. In his
comment on the assassination of Salah Shehada, the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon stated in the weekly meeting of his cabinet, "We have hit the most
important activist of Hamas, the person who reorganized Hamas in the West Bank,
in addition to his activities in the Gaza Strip. We did not intend to harm
civilians…"[7]

In the period
under study, Israeli forces used the following methods in the assassination of
Palestinian activists:

1.Firing at the victims by undercover units, from
military locations or at military checkpoints.

2.Firing at the victims from tanks.

3.Shelling houses or cars where the victims are
present by combat helicopters.

Assassinations constitute extra-judicial executions
under international humanitarian law and are thus illegal; they represent a
distinct subset of willful killings insofar as they are clearly premeditated and
targeted.
Assassinations are carried out without
any judicial process, including presentation of evidence or opportunities for
defense or appeal.

Article 3(1) of
the Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of
War (Fourth Geneva Convention), the overriding instrument of international
humanitarian law governing occupation, provides:

“The following
acts are and shall remain prohibited at any time and in any place whatsoever…:

)a)
Violence to life and person, in particular murder of all kinds, mutilation,
cruel treatment and torture…”

Moreover, under
Article 27 of the
Convention, “protected persons are entitled, in all circumstances, to respect
for their persons” and that “they shall be at all times humanely treated, and
shall be protected especially against all acts of violence or threats thereof.”

Article 32 of
the
Convention prohibits "taking any measure of such a character as to cause the
physical suffering or extermination of protected persons." It further provides
that "this prohibition applies not only to murder, torture, corporal punishment,
mutilation and medical or scientific experiments not necessitated by the medical
treatment of a protected person, but also to any other measures of brutality
whether applied by civilian or military agents."

According to
Article 147 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, willful killings are considered
grave breaches, i.e. war crimes, covered by the principle of universal
jurisdiction.
All High Contracting Parties to the Convention are obliged
“to search for persons alleged to have committed, or to have ordered to be
committed, such grave breaches, and shall bring such persons, regardless of
their nationality, before their own courts” (Article 146).

Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights provides that
"everyone has
the right to life, liberty and security of person."

Article 6(1) of
the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Israel is a
party, provides that “every human being has the inherent right to life. This
right shall be protected by law. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his
life.”

The Rome
Statute of the International Criminal Court considers these practices as war
crimes. The Statute states that "war crimes means:

"(a) Grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions of 12
August 1949, namely, any of the following acts against persons or property
protected under the provisions of the relevant Geneva Convention:

(i) Willful killing;…

(b)….

(iv) Intentionally launching an attack in the
knowledge that such attack will cause incidental loss of life or injury to
civilians or damage to civilian objects….

(vi) Killing or wounding a combatant who, having
laid down his arms or having no longer means of defense…

(c)…

(iv) The passing of sentences and the carrying out
of executions without previous judgement pronounced by a regularly constituted
court, affording all judicial guarantees which are generally recognized as
indispensable.

The Principles
on the Effective Prevention and Investigation of Extra-legal and Summary
Executions prohibit all extra-legal, arbitrary and summary executions.
Principle 1 provides:

“Governments
shall prohibit by law all extra-legal, arbitrary and summary executions and
shall ensure that any such executions are recognized as offences under their
criminal laws, and are punishable by appropriate penalties which take into
account the seriousness of such offences. Exceptional circumstances including a
state of war or threat of war, internal political instability or any other
public emergency may not be invoked as a justification of such executions.”

In his report on the human rights situation in the
Occupied Palestinian Territories, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in
the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel since 1967 asserted that
"Israel’s freely acknowledged practice of selected assassination or targeted
killings of Palestinian activists cannot be reconciled with provisions of the
Fourth Geneva Convention, such as articles 27 and 32, which seek to protect the
lives of protected persons not taking a direct part in hostilities. They also
violate human rights norms that affirm the right to life and the prohibition on
execution of civilians without trial and a fair judicial process. There is no
basis for killing protected persons on the basis of suspicion that they have
engaged or will engage in terrorist activities. In addition, many civilians not
suspected of any unlawful activity have been killed in these targeted killings,
in the bombing of villages or in gunfire exchanges, in circumstances indicating
an indiscriminate and disproportionate use of force.”[9]

Humanrights organizations have made legal
efforts to stop extrajudicial assassinations committed by Israeli forces against
Palestinian activists. In this context, the Palestinian Society for the
Protection of Human Rights and the Environment (LAW) and the Public Committee
against Torture in Israel submitted an appeal to the Israeli Supreme Court on 25
July 2002, based on their previous appeal (769/02), requesting issuing an order
nisi to make the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, the Defense Minster
Benjamin Beneli'zer, and the Chief of Staff Moshe Ya'alon stop extra-judicial
assassinations. The petitioners reminded the court that the state in its reply
to their petition on 24 January 2002 claimed that the policy of assassinations
is carried out in "a responsible manner and that the main concern is not to harm
innocent people."

PCHR has documented extra-judicial assassinations
committed by Israeli forces against Palestinian activists since the beginning of
the Intifada in September 2000. PCHR has prepared a legal file on the
assassination of Sheikh Salah Shehada and Zaher Nassar on 22 July 2002, which
left them and 14 other civilians dead and injured 77. In addition, 11 houses
were totally demolished and 32 were damaged. PCHR, as the representative of the
victims' families, is due to sue the case against Israeli forces. In this
regard, it is worth mentioning that the Israeli judiciary has refused to provide
compensation to Palestinian civilian for the damage they sustained by the
Israeli practices against them and their property since the beginning of the
Intifada. In its reply to the cases sued against Israeli forces, the Israeli
prosecution claims that Israeli practices against Palestinian civilian and their
property take place in the context of "military necessities" allowed by the
international humanitarian law.

Case (1)

Targeted Persons:

1.Lieutenant
Colonel Khaled Abu al-Khairan, 38, from al-Fawar refugee camp, head of the PNA
General Intelligence Service in Halhoul; and

2.Lieutenant
Ahmed
‘Abdul
‘Azziz Zama’ra, 26, from Halhoul, a
member of the General Intelligence Service.

At
approximately 01:00 on Tuesday, 14 May 2002, a special unit of Israeli forces
moved into Zabboud neighborhood in the northwest of Halhoul in the West Bank.
They besieged the neighborhood and took up position around offices of the
Palestinian General Intelligence Service. Abu al-Khairan and Zama’ra attempted
to escape in their cars, but Israeli forces opened fire at them from close
range, wounding them.

Israeli forces took the two out of the car; one of them was dead while the other
was still alive. Soon, Israeli soldiers severely beat him for approximately 30
minutes until he died. Then, Israeli forces withdrew from the area.

Israeli forces had earlier moved into Halhoul on
Monday morning, 11 February 2002, when combat helicopters had shelled Zama’ra’s
house. Israeli forces then demolished the house after having searched for him
without success.

Case (2)

Targeted person:

Mohammed Taha Ghannam, 21, from Ramallah

At approximately 04:00 on Thursday, 16 May 2002,
special units of Israeli forces, reinforced with dozens of armored personnel
carriers and military jeeps, moved into Um al-Sharayet neighborhood in
Ramallah. They surrounded al-Rabi’ building and broke into a flat on the second
floor. Soon, they shot dead

Mohammed Taha Ahmed Ghannam, 21, with three live
bullets in the chest and the right leg. They then threw his body onto the
street. They also arrested two unidentified young men and withdrew from the
area at approximately 05:50.

Ghannam’s body was taken to Ramallah Hospital.
According to medical sources, Israeli forces used sharp tools to distort his
body, as there were injuries in the upper part of the body, and that he was shot
from a close distance. Ghannam was a member of the Palestinian Preventive
Security Service wanted by Israeli forces.

Case (3)

Targeted persons:

1.Mahmoud
‘Abdullah al-Titi, 31;

2.‘Emad
Salim al-Khatib, 27; and

3.Eyad Samir
Hamdan, 23; all from Balata refugee camp near Nablus.

At approximately 19:00 on Wednesday, 22 May 2002,
while the three members of al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades were in the cemetery of
Balata refugee camp, Israeli tanks at al-Tour Mount, south of Nablus, fired
several Flechettes shells that killed the three.

A passing civilian, Bashir Mohammed Ya’ish, 31, from
Nablus, was seriously wounded. He was evacuated to hospital where he later
succumbed to his wound.

Israeli forces admitted responsibility for the
assassination.
The Israeli dailyYediot Aaharanot
on its Arabic web page quoted an Israeli military spokesman as saying that “the
most wanted Palestinian in the West Bank, Mahmoud al-Titi, was killed by a tank
shell in the cemetery of Balata refugee camp after he was identified.” He added
that “al-Titi held a meeting in the place with some activists of Fatah Movement
according to intelligence information. A tank moved and fired several shells at
them.”

In his testimony to the Palestinian Society for the
Protection of Human Rights and the Environment (LAW), an eyewitness said:

"At
approximately 19:00 on Wednesday, 22 May 2002, while I was in my house located
south of the cemetery, I heard a heavy explosion. I opened my door opposite to
the cemetery and I saw many people hurrying towards the cemetery, which is
opposite to an Israeli military location on al-Tour Mount. I also ran towards
the cemetery, where I saw bodies of there persons cut into parts. Most hits
were in the head and I saw many darts that hit their bodies. I also saw a
person who was wounded, who was, as I knew later, Bashir Ya'ish. He was hit by
many darts."

Case (4)

Targeted person:

Walid No'man Subeih, 28, from al-Kahder village
near Bethlehem

At approximately 17:30 on Monday, 17 June 2002,
Subeih stopped his private car near his bakery at Bethlehem-al Kahder road.
When he got out of the car, Israeli forces on al-Bakush Hill, west of al-Kahder
village, adjacent to the settler road (60), fired at him from a distance of
approximately 400m. He was killed by approximately 10 medium caliber bullets in
the neck, the chest, the abdomen and the back.

His car was also hit by approximately 10 live
bullets. Subeih was a Fatah activist in Bethlehem and had been wanted by
Israeli forces since the beginning of the al-Aqsa Intifada.

Case (5)

Targeted person:

Yousef Ahmed Bisharat, 21, from Tammun village
near Jenin

At approximately 15:00 on Tuesday, 18 June 2002,
Bisharat, a student of Hebron University, was traveling in a taxi that had an
Israeli number plate at the eastern entrance of Hebron, apparently traveling to
his village.Israeli forces at a military roadblock
stopped the taxi. They forced all those who were traveling in it to get out of
it and to take their clothes off.

Israeli soldiers checked their identity cards, and
soon they opened fire at Bisharat, killing him. Bisharat was an activist of the
Islamic Jihad and was wanted by Israeli forces. When he traveled in the taxi,
he was not armed. Israeli forces fired at him after they had found out his
identity.

After they assassinated Bisharat, Israeli forces
arrested three Palestinian civilians who were traveling in the taxi. According
to Palestinian medical sources, Bisharat received more than 14 live bullets in
the upper part of the body.

According to eyewitnesses, Israeli forces continued
to fire at him from a very close distance even after he died. Bisharat’s
brother Mohammed was also assassinated by Israeli forces on 1 July 2001.

Case (6)

Targeted persons:

1.Yasser Sa'id
Rizq, 29; and

2.Amir Mohammed
Quffa, 28, both from Rafah.

At approximately 07:00 on Monday, 24 June 2002, an
Israeli apache helicopter fired two missiles against a taxi carrying five
passengers. When hit, the taxi was only about 500 m from Abu Yousef al-Najjar
Hospital. The shelling completely destroyed the car, all five passengers were
killed. They are:

1.Yasser Sa'id Rizq, 29,
a Hamas activist.
He was on his way to the hospital for
medical treatment after he was injured in his hand at the beginning of the
month.

2.Bassam Sa'id Rizq, 32,
the brother of Yasser. He was accompanying his brother to the hospital.

3.Yousef Sa'id Rizq, 24,
also a brother of Yasser, was also accompanying him to the hospital.

4.Ameer Mohammed Quffa,
28. His house was attacked by the Israeli Occupation Forces a few months ago in
an attempt to arrest him, but he was not there.

5.Sami 'Omar 'Omar, 29,
the taxi driver.

In addition, other cars driving in the area, were
hit by big pieces of shrapnel. Midhat
‘Abdul Hadi al-Jourani, 17, who was
sitting in the back seat of one of the cars, was killed when his head was
separated from his body by shrapnel. Moreover, 13 other bystanders were injured.
The bodies of the victims were too damaged to be immediately identified.

Case (7)

Targeted persons:

1.Muhannad Hafezh
al-Taher, 26; and

2.‘Emad
al-Din Nour al-Din Darwaza, 24, both from Nablus

At approximately 15:00 on Sunday, 30 June, Israeli
forces, reinforced with dozens of tanks and a combat helicopter, surrounded a
two-story house owned
‘Ammar Jamil al-Masri in the northeast
of Nablus.
Immediately, they intensely fired at
the house, then called through loudspeakers on al-Masri and his family, who live
on the first floor, to get out of the house with their hands up and without
clothes on the upper part of the body.
When al-Masri got out of the house,
Israeli forces arrested him.Later, Israeli forces claimed that he
was evacuated to an Israeli hospital since he was wounded.
Israeli forces also handcuffed and
blindfolded his child Suhaib, 13, and took him to an unknown destination.

At
approximately 18:00, Israeli forces resumed shelling the house throughout an
hour, claiming that wanted Palestinians from Hamas were having shelter on the
upper floor of the house.
The Israeli combat helicopter also
launched three missiles at the house.
Most of the house was destroyed and
fire broke out into it.
Two Palestinians were killed:

1.Muhannad Hafezh
al-Taher, 26, accused by Israeli forces of leading the military wing of Hamas in
Nablus; and

2.‘Emad al-Din Nour
al-Din Darwaza, 24, accused of being al-Taher’s assistant, brother of Salah
Darwaza who was assassinated by Israeli forces approximately one year ago.

According to al-Masri’s wife, Kholoud Rashad
al-Masri, 34, Israeli forces destroyed remains of the house using bulldozers and
artillery shells. She said that the destiny of her husband and child was still
unknown. She also asserted that her husband was not wounded when he was
arrested contrary to Israeli media reports.

On the following day, the Israeli prime minister
stated that his forces carried out a successful assassination that targeted two
wanted members of Hamas.

Case (8)

Targeted persons:

1.Jihad Isma’il
al-‘Aamarin, 46; and

2.Wa’el Jawad
al-Namara, 33, both from Gaza.

At approximately 21:00 on Thursday, 4 July 2002, a
heavy explosion occurred in al-Thawra Street, branch of al-Nasser Street, in
Gaza City.
Palestinians hurried to the area to
check what happened.
They found a civilian car, white
Mercedes, approximately 150m north of Shifa’ Hospital, burning. They saw parts
of the body of one passenger on the ground, while the body of another passenger
was still in the car. The two passengers were identified as:

1.Jihad Isma’il
al-‘Aamarin, 46, an from al-Zaytoun neighborhood, an officer of the Palestinian
Public Security Service; and

Israeli forces claimed that al-‘Amarin
was the leader of al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in Gaza.Palestinian sources accused Israeli
forces of responsibility for the explosion.

Case (9)

Targeted persons:

1.Sheikh Salah
Mustafa Shehada, 49, from Beit Hanoun; and

2.Zaher Nassar,
37, from Gaza.

An Israeli F-16 fighter jet attacked an apartment
building in a highly populated area in Gaza City, killing 16 Palestinian
civilians, including 8 children, and wounding more than 70, mostly children and
women. Two women and their five children, and Sheikh Salah Shehada, his wife,
daughter and bodyguard, were among the victims. According to statements by
Israeli forces, the purpose of the attack was the assassination of Hamas leader,
Sheikh Salah Mustafa Shehada, 49, from Beit Hanoun.

At approximately 23:55 on Monday, 22 July 2002, an
Israeli F-16 fighter jet launched a missile that weighted 1 ton at a
150-square-meter, two-story apartment building in al-Daraj neighborhood in Gaza.
Sheikh Salah Shehada, who is wanted by Israel, and his family were living on the
upper floor of the building. The missile directly hit the building which located
in a highly populated area. The house and two others were totally destroyed and
several adjacent houses were seriously damaged. Fourteen Palestinian civilians,
including 8 children, the youngest of whom was only 2-month-old, were killed.
Two women and their five children, and Sheikh Salah Shehada, his wife, daughter,
daughter and bodyguard, were among the victims. More than 70 civilians were also
wounded, two of whom are in critical condition. Those killed were:

1.Sheikh Salah Mustafa
Shehada, 49;

2.Leila Safira, 45, his
wife;

3.Iman Salah Shehada,
15, his daughter; and

4.Zaher Nassar, 37, his
bodyguard.

5.Iman Ibrahim Hassan
Matar, 27, killed together with her 3 children while sleeping (bodies of the
three children were discovered on Wednesday, 24 July, under ruins approximately
10m away from their house) :

6.Ayman Ra’ed Matar, 1˝
;

7.Mohammed Ra’ed Matar,
3;

8.Dalia Ra’ed Matar, 5;

9.Diana Rami Matar, 2
months;

10.Alaa’ Mohammed
Matar,11;

11.Muna Fahmi al-Hweiti,
30, killed together with her 2 children:

12.Subhi Mahmoud
al-Hweiti, 4˝ ;

13.Mohammed Mahmoud
al-Hweiti, 6;

14.Yousef Sobhi al-Shawa,
32, killed when he was in a visit to his neighbor, who was also wounded in the
head;

15.Khader Mohammed
al-Se'idi, 72, succumbed to his wound on 9 August 2002; and

16.Miriam Matar, 75,
succumbed to her wound on 5 August 2002.

On Tuesday, 10 September, the Israeli
Chief of Staff Moshe Ya'alon stated before a session of the Israeli
parliamentary committee on foreign and security affairs that he
gave orders to
assassinate Sheikh Salah Mustafa Shehada on 22 July 2002,
although he knew that Shehada's wife and daughter were accompanying him. He
claimed that "it was imperative to carry the operation even if the wife and
daughter were present."

Case (10)

Targeted person:

Amjad
‘Abdul Hadi Jbour, 35, from Salem
Village near Nablus

At approximately 02:30 on Friday, 2 August 2002,
Israeli forces invaded Salem village, east of Nablus, and surrounded a number of
houses. Approximately 15 minutes later, they raided the house of Rida Eshtayeh
and forced him to leave the house and accompany them towards the house of Amjad
‘Abdul Hadi Jbour, 35, a Hamas activist. They forced him to enter Jbour’s house
and ordered him to get out with his hands over his head and without clothes
covering the upper part of the body.

According to an eyewitness, Jbour left the house
unarmed and with his hands over his head. Israeli soldiers took him
approximately 40m away from the house.

At approximately 03:25, Israeli soldiers turned off
their military vehicle lights and repeated shooting was soon heard. According
to the eyewitness, she looked through her window to see what had happened. She
saw a person on the ground. Then, Israeli forces left the area. Ten minutes
later, the eyewitness’ husband exited to see what happened. He found Jbour’s
body on the ground.

He was hit by two bullets in the neck and the
chest. Israeli forces at entrances of Nablus prevented the evacuation of the
body to hospitals of the city.

Case (11)

Targeted person:

Khaled
‘Abdul
‘Aziz Seif, 41, from Nablus

At approximately 23:00 on Sunday,
4 August, while a number of activists
of the Intifada were inside the house of Mohammed Rida Khalil Far’ounia, 38, in
Burqa village, northwest of Nablus, Israeli forces invaded the village, and
surrounded the house. One of the activists, Khaled ‘Abdul ‘Aziz Seif, 41,
received a phone call on his mobile phone.

When he went to the balcony to receive the call,
Israeli soldiers shot him dead with several bullets striking his head.
Far’ounia went out to investigate. Soon, Israeli soldiers fired at him,
wounding him with three live bullets in the abdomen and the chest. His brother
Mahmoud then went to the balcony, and saw his brother bleeding. He tried to
offer him help, but Israeli soldiers forced him to move way. Far’ounia bled to
death.

According to eyewitnesses, Israeli soldiers left
Far’ounia bled for 19 minutes without allowing anyone to offer medical
attention. Upon their withdrawal from the village, Israeli forces also arrested
four Palestinians.

Case (12)

Targeted persons:

1.‘Ali
Mohammed Ahmed
‘Ajouri, 23, from
‘Askar refugee camp;
and

2.Murad
Suleiman Zuhdi Marshud, 21, from Balata refugee camp

At approximately 00:30 on Tuesday, 6 August, two
Israeli combat helicopters launched two missiles at a wooded area east of Jaba’
village, south pf Jenin. Then, Israeli forces searched and opened fire at the
area. When the helicopters moved away, residents of the area hurried to check
whether there were casualties as a result of the Israeli attack. They found
bodies of two young men. Immediately, they called for an ambulance from
Palestine Red Crescent Society, which evacuated the two bodies to a hospital in
Jenin. Later, the two young men were identified as:

1.‘Ali Mohammed Ahmed
‘Ajouri, 23, from
‘Askar refugee camp, killed by
shrapnel in the upper part of the body; and

2.Murad Suleiman Zuhdi
Marshud, 21, from Balata refugee camp, killed by shrapnel in the face and the
neck, and four heavy caliber bullets in the shoulders.

The two young men were wanted by Israeli forces fortheir resistance activities.

Israeli security sources stated that two activists
of al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade of Fatah Movement were killed in Jaba' village. The
same sources claimed that one of them, 'Ajouri, was suspected of having sent a
suicide bomber to Tel Aviv. They also claimed that the two activists attempted
to escape, but an Israeli military unit shot them dead.

Case (13)

Targeted person:

Ziad Mohammed Da’as, 26, from Tulkarm

At approximately 09:00 on Wednesday, 7 August 2002,
an undercover unit of Israeli forces stole into Tulkarm in two trucks that had
Palestinian registration numbers, when the curfew imposed on the town was
temporarily lifted. They reached the centre of the town. As soon as Israeli
soldiers got out of the car, a Palestinian civilian noticed them and shouted
warning people of their presence. Israeli soldiers fired at him, wounding him
with a live bullet in the shoulder. Ziad Mohammed Da’as, 26, who is accused by
Israeli forces of being leader of al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade in Tulkarm, attempted
to leave a building in which he hid in through an external sewage pipeline.
When Israeli soldiers noticed him, they fired at him. He was shot by a live
bullet in the head. Soon Israeli heavy military vehicles moved into the town
and re-imposed a curfew.

An Israeli combat helicopter flew over the town and
opened fire at Palestinian houses. Two other Palestinians were wounded. The
four wounded were left bleeding and Israeli forces denied the access of medical
personnel to them. At approximately 13:50, Israeli forces allowed medical
personnel to enter the area, but three of the wounded, including Da’as, already
succumbed to their wounds, while the fourth one was arrested. The other two who
were killed other than Da’as were:

1.Mohammed Khamis Ra’fat
Sa’ada, 19, killed by a live bullet in the shoulder while he was near his shop;
and

2.Maher Mohammed Dhib
Jazmawi, 17, killed by a live bullet in the head while he was on his way to a
school to see results of his brother’s exams.

The
fourth Palestinian, Ra’fat ‘Omar Ra’fat Sa’ada, 28, was wounded by a bullet in
the right leg and was arrested by Israeli forces.

“At approximately 12:40 on Wednesday, 7 August
2002, I was at home in al-Amal neighborhood in the west
of Khan Yunis, approximately 600m south of “Gani Tal” settlement, northwest of
Khan Yunis. I heard sounds of three live bullets fired at the roof of our
house. My family and I hurried to the roof, since we knew that my brother
Hussam was there. When we arrived at the roof, we found Hussam on the ground
bleeding. It was clear that he was dead. I looked at the settlement, where I
saw an Israeli tank positioned its border opposite to our house. The tank soon
moved back to the settlement. We evacuated my brother to Nasser Hospital.
Doctors said that he was hit by three live bullets in the chest.”

The Israeli dailyYdiout Aharanot
said that “the Israeli army killed an activist of Ezziddin al-Qassam Brigade,
Hussam Nemer.” Nemer survived an assassination attempt on 24 January 2002, when
an Israeli combat helicopter launched a missile at a car in which he was
traveling with three of his friends. He was wounded by shrapnel throughout the
body and fingers of his left hand were cut, while Baker Hamdan was killed.

Case
(15)

Targeted persons:

Ghazal Mohammed Fureihat, 21, from al-Yamun
village near Jenin

At approximately 03:00 on Monday, 12 August 2002,
Israeli forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles and special units, moved
into al-Yamun village, west of Jenin. They surrounded the house of Mohammed
Hassan Fureihat and ordered its 13 residents through loudspeakers to leave it.
They checked the family and their identity cards and the Israeli soldiers took
one of the family members, Ghazal Mohammed Hassan Fureihat, 21. The family
then heard sounds of dozens of live bullets. An Israeli soldier told the family
that other Israeli soldiers shot dead their son. When Israeli forces withdrew
from the village, Fureihat’s body was moved to hospital. According to medical
sources, he was hit by six live bullets in the chest, the pelvis and the
thighs.

Israeli forces accused Fureihat of having been a
member of al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade of the Fatah Movement. An Israeli military
spokesman claimed that Ghazal attempted to escape, so Israeli soldiers shot him
dead.[10]

Case (16)

Targeted person:

Nasser Kahed Jarrar, 44, from Wadi Burqin village
near Jenin

At approximately 13:00 on Wednesday, 14 August,
2002, a civilian white Volkswagen, arrived at the eastern quarter of Tubas
village in the northern West Bank. Eight to ten persons in military uniform,
Israeli soldiers, got out of the car. They opened fire at Palestinian houses
indiscriminately, wounding ‘Ezzat Tayseer Abu Muhsen, 20, in the legs. They
arrested him and took him to an unknown destination. They also surrounded the
house of Mohammed ‘Abdul Elah Abu Muhsen. Three minutes later, Israeli forces,
reinforced with tanks and bulldozers and supported by two combat helicopters
invaded the village. Israeli forces forced Nidhal ‘Abdul Ra’ouf Abu Muhsen, 19,
and his uncle Younis Ahmed Ibrahim Daraghma, 22, to exit their houses and took
them to the cemetery of the village. They handcuffed Daraghma and took Abu
Muhsen to Abu al-Hassan driving school, after they forced him to put on a bullet
proof suit, similar to that used by Israeli soldiers. They let a dog follow
him. They forced him to go to houses in the area and tell their residents to
leave. At approximately 14:15, residents of the area heard sounds of successive
explosions, after which smoke rose from the house of Mohammed ‘Abdul Elah Abu
Muhsen. At approximately 14:30, an Israeli bulldozer destroyed the main road
and another one swept over the house of Abu Muhsen. Such destruction continued
until 17:30 when Israeli forces withdrew from the village, medical and rescue
personnel and civilians hurried to the area to check what happened. They
discovered the head and the chest of a man in the forties. He was later
identified as Nasser Kahed Jarrar, 44, from Wadi Burqin village, west of Jenin,
wanted by Israeli forces. People started searching for Nidhal Abu Muhsen.
There were reports of his death. At approximately midnight, Israeli forces
delivered his body to the Palestinian side. Jarrar was married and father of
three children. He spent eight years in Israeli jails for his political
activities. He survived two assassination attempts, one in which he lost his
right leg and hand.

On the following day, Israeli military sources
claimed that a specialunit killed Nasser Jarrar, a senior
leader of Hamas. They also claimed that Israeli soldiers, tanks and bullddozers
surrounded a house, where Jarrar and some of his aides hid, but he fired at
them, so they intensely fired at the house and then the bulldozers demolished
it.

Israeli forces accused Jarrar of leading 'Ezziddin
al-Qassam Brigade, the military wing of Hamas, in the northern West Bank.

Case (17)

Targeted person:

Mohammed Sa’adat Yousef ‘Abdul Rasul, 22, from
al-Bireh

At approximately 17:00 on Tuesday, 20 August, ‘Abdul
Rasul went from his house in al-Nahda Street, opposite the Friends School in
al-Bireh, towards his father’s shop in the area. A civilian car stopped at a
branch road opposite his house. Inside the car, there were two armed men in
civilian clothes. When he was only 20m away from the car, the two men got out
of the car and opened fire at him. He ran towards a flower shop, but the men
chased and fired at him. He was shot by eight live bullets in the head, the
chest and the limbs. Immediately, a number of Israeli military jeeps arrived in
the area. Israeli soldiers surrounded ‘Abdul Rasul and denied access to
ambulances. They left him bleed to death, although there is a hospital only few
meters away from the area.

The victim is the youngest brother of Secretary
General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) Ahmed
Sa’adat, detained by Palestinian security services since the beginning of this
year.

On the following day, Israeli military sources
claimed that an Israeli military unit went to 'Abdul Rasul's house to arrest
him, but he fired at Israeli soldiers injuring two.

Case (18)

Targeted person:

Ra'fatQadri
'Abdul Latif Daraghma, 29, from Tubas
village near Jenin

At
approximately 17:00 on Saturday, 31 August 2002, while a civilian car that had
an Israeli number, a black Mitsubishi, was traveling on the main road in the
east of Tubas, a populated area, two Israeli combat helicopters suddenly flew
over the area and fired three missiles at the car. The first missile hit the
ground, approximately 30m away from the car, the second one hit the back side of
the car, while the third one hit the car directly. Jihad Sawafta, 28, from
Tubas, wanted by Israeli forces, was traveling in the car but was able to escape
when the first missile hit the ground. He was seriously wounded. When people
heard sounds of explosions, they hurried towards the affected area. Medical and
rescue personnel evacuated three burnt bodies from the car. The three persons
were identified as:

Ra’fat Qadri
‘Abdul Latif Daraghma, 29, from Tubas town, a member of the Palestinian Military
Intelligence Service who was wanted by Israeli forces for having been a leader
of al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade in the area;

1.Sari
Mahmoud Subeih, 17, from Tayaseer village; and

2.Yazid
Bassam Daraghma, 17, from Tayaseer village.

Two children
were also killed by shrapnel while they were near their houses in the eastern
part of Tubas:

1.Ussama Ibrahim Mufleh
Daraghma, 14, hit by shrapnel in the back; and

2.Bahira Burhan
Daraghma, 7, hit by shrapnel in the chest and the abdomen.

On the same
day, Israeli media sources said that the failed assassination attempt carried
out by the Israeli military left 5 Palestinians
dead and 10 injured in Tubas village near Nablus. The same sources added that
Sawafta was able to jump out of the car and escape. Israeli military sources
indicated that it was not the first time that Sawafta survived assassination
attempts.

Case (19)

Targeted
persons:

1.Mohammed Dheif, 39;

2.'Abdul
Rahim Hamdan, 40; and

3.'Eissa
'Ateya Baraka, 35, all from Khan Yunis.

At approximately 14:00 on Thursday, 26 September
2002,
Israeli combat helicopters fired two
missiles at a green Mercedes, in which Mohammed Dheif, accused by Israeli forces
of leading Hamas' military wing in Gaza, and two of his guards were traveling.
When the car arrived at the crowded crossroads of al-Jalaa' Street and al-Nasser
Street, two Israeli combat helicopters fired two missiles at it. The car was
destroyed and the two guards were killed:

1.'Abdul Rahim Isma'il
Hamdan, 40, from Khan Yunis; and

2.'Eissa 'Ateya Salem
Baraka, 35, from Khan Yunis.

Dheif was wounded.
He was able to get out of the car
before the first missile was launched.
In addition, another car that was
traveling behind the targeted car was hit by shrapnel and its driver was wounded.
Forty passing civilians, including 10
school children, were wounded.
A number of houses and civilian
facilities were also damaged:

Israeli security sources admitted that the operation
aimed at assassinating Mohammed Dheif and that he was traveling in the targeted
car and was wounded and lost one of his eyes.
The same sources considered the survival of Dhief as "a bad luck" rather than a
failure.

Deif has previously been subjected to assassination
attempts by Israeli forces, the latest on 22 August 2001, when an Israeli combat
helicopter attacked a car in which he was traveling with Yahia al-Ghoul, 40,
wanted by Israeli forces, in al-Boreij
in the central Gaza Strip.Al-Ghoul's son was killed.

In his testimony to PCHR, an eyewitness said:

"At
approximately 14:00 on Thursday, 26 September 2002, while I was sitting in my
pharmacy in al-Jalaa' Street in Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza City, I heard
a heavy explosion. The pharmacy shookand dust and smoke raised. I went out
to check what happened. I saw a car, approximately 100m away, burning. Many
people arrived in the area and attempted to extinguish fire and offer help to
the wounded."

Israeli
occupying forces commit extra-judicial assassinations against Palestinian field
and political activists of various organizations, even though they can arrest
and present these activists
through a proper judicial process. The policy of assassinations is officially
adopted by the Israeli political and military establishments, and judicially
covered by the Israeli Supreme Court, in violation of the international
humanitarian law.

International
silence has encouraged Israel to commit more grave breaches, including war
crimes, against Palestinian civilians. Israel is also supported by one of the
High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention, the USA, in violation
of its obligations under the Convention.

Between 1 May
and 28 September 2002, Israeli
forces committed
20 assassinations, killing 55 Palestinians, including
28 targeted Palestinians and 27 bystanders, 14 of whom were children, 2 were old
people, and 4 were women. In addition, 141 Palestinians, including 2 targeted
Palestinians and 139 bystanders were wounded, some of whom sustained permanent
disabilities.

The total
number of assassinations carried out by Israeli forces from 29 September 2000 to
28 September 2002, is 91 operations, in which 105 targeted Palestinians and 61
bystanders, including 24 children, 7 women and 8 old people. In addition, 19
targeted Palestinians and 234 bystanders were wounded.

In the face of Israeli practices, PCHR calls upon
the international community and the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth
Geneva Convention of 1949:

1.To immediately
intervene to stop war crimes committed by Israeli occupation forces against
Palestinian civilians and to force Israeli to respect the Convention in the OPT;

2.To take concrete
measures to stop war crimes and other violations of international humanitarian
law committed by Israeli occupation forces against Palestinian civilians and
ensure Israel's respect for the Fourth Convention in the OPT;

3.To provide immediate
international protection for Palestinian civilians in the OPT.

A special unit of Israeli occupying forces
moved into Halhoul in the West Bank. They besieged offices of the
Palestinian General Intelligence Service. Abu al-Khairan and Zama’ra
attempted to escape in their cars, but Israeli forces opened fire at them
from close range, wounding them. Israeli forces took the two out of the
car; one of them was dead while the other was still alive, but he bled to
death.

2.

16/05/02

Mohammed Taha Ghannam (T)

21

Ramallah

Live bullets in the head and the chest

Ramallah

Special units of Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with dozens of armored personnel carriers and military jeeps,
moved into Um al-Sharayet neighborhood in Ramallah.
They surrounded al-Rabi’
building and broke into a flat on the second floor. Soon, they shot dead
Mohammed Taha Ahmed Ghannam, 21, with three live bullets in the chest and
the right leg. Then, they threw his body onto the street.

3.

23/05/02

1)Mahmoud
‘Abdullah al-Titi (T)

2)‘Emad
Salim al-Khatib (T)

3)Eyad
Samir Hamdan (T)

4)Bashir
Mohammed Ya'ish (N)

31

27

23

31

Balata, Nablus

Balata, Nablus

Balata, Nablus

Nablus

Throughout the body

Throughout the body

Throughout the body

Throughout the body

Balata, Nablus

While the three members of al-Aqsa Martyrs
Brigades were in the cemetery of Balata refugee camp, Israeli tanks at
al-Tour Mount, south of Nablus, fired several Flechette shells that killed
the three. A passing civilian, Bashir Mohammed Ya’ish, 31, from Nablus,
was seriously wounded. He was evacuated to hospital where he soon
succumbed to his wound.

4.

17/06/02

Walid No'man Subeih (T)

28

Al-Khader, Bethlehem

The neck, the chest, the back and the abdomen

Al-Khader, Bethlehem

Subeih stopped his private car near his bakery
at Bethlehem-al Kahder road.
When he got out of the car,
Israeli occupying forces on al-Bakush Hill, west of al-Kahder village,
adjacent to the settler road (60), fired at him from a distance of
approximately 400m.
He was killedby approximately 10 medium
caliber bullets in the neck, the chest, the abdomen and the back.

5.

18/06/02

Yousef Ahmed Bisharat (T)

21

Tammun, Jenin

The head and the chest

Hebron

Israeli occupying forces at a militarycheckpoint stopped the taxi in
which he traveled. They forced all those who were traveling in it to get
out of it and to take their clothes off. Israeli soldiers checked their
identity cards, and soon they opened fire at Bisharat, killing him. After
they assassinated Bisharat, Israeli forces arrested three Palestinian
civilians who were traveling in the taxi.

6.

24/06/02

1)Ameer
Mohammed Quffa (T)

2)Yasser
Sa'id Rizq (T)

3)Bassam
Sa'id Rizq (N)

4)Yousef
Sa'id Rizq (N)

5)Sami
'Omar 'Omar (N)

6)Midhat
‘Abdul Hadi al-Jourani (N)

28

29

32

24

29

17

Rafah

The body burnt

The body burnt

The body burnt

The body burnt

The body burnt

Shrapnel that cut the head

Rafah

An Israeli apache helicopter fired two
missiles against a taxi carrying five passengers. The shelling completely
destroyed the car and all five passengers were killed. Another passenger
traveling in another car in the area was also killed.

7.

30/06/02

1)Muhannad
Hafezh al-Taher (T)

2)‘Emad
al-Din Nour al-Din Darwaza (T)

26

24

Nablus

Shrapnel throughout the body

Shrapnel throughout the body

Nablus

Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with
dozens of tanks and a combat helicopter, surrounded a two-story house
Nablus.
Immediately, they intensely
fired at the house, then called through loudspeakers onthe family to get out of the
house with their hands up and without clothes on the upper part of the
body. Then, Israeli occupying forces resumed shelling the house
throughout an hour, claiming that wanted Palestinians from Hamas were
having shelter on the upper floor of the house. The Israeli combat
helicopter also launched three missiles at the house. Most of the house
was destroyed and fire broke out into it, and al-Taher and Darwaza were
killed.

8.

04/07/02

1)Jihad
Isma’il al-‘Aamarin (T)

2)Wa’el
Jawad al-Namara (T)

46

33

Gaza

The body burnt

The body burnt

Gaza

A bomb was planted in their car. When they
drove the car, it exploded and the two were killed.

9.

14/07/02

---

---

---

---

Khan Yunis

An Israeli F-16 fighter jet and two
helicopters flew over Khan Yunis.
The fighter jet launched two
missilesat an uninhibited house owned by
‘Aabdul Rahman Yousef
‘Aabdul Wahab.
The first missile missed the
target and fell onto a tract of agricultural land owned by Majdi
‘Abdul al-Hallaq, making a large
pit.
As a result, the fence of the
tract of the northern part of the ground floor of
‘Abdul Wahab’s house were
destroyed. The second missile directly hit the facade, destroying parts
of the second and ground floors. According to ‘Abdul Wahab, his son
Yousef, 24, who is wanted by Israeli occupying forces, was in the house
with four of his friends. They were all able to escape when the first
missile hit the tract of agricultural land.

10.

22/07/02

1)Salah
Mustafa Shehada (T)

2)Leila
Safira (N)

3)Iman
Salah Shehada (N)

4)Zaher
Nassar (T)

5)Iman
Ibrahim Hassan Matar (N)

6)Ayman
Ra’ed Matar (N)

7)Mohammed
Ra’ed Matar (N)

8)Dalia
Ra’ed Matar (N)

9)Diana
Rami Matar (N)

10)Alaa’
Mohammed Matar (N)

11)Muna
Fahmi al-Hweiti (N)

12)Subhi
Mahmoud al-Hweiti (N)

13)Mohammed
Mahmoud al-Hweiti (N)

14)Yousef
Sobhi al-Shawa (N)

15)Khader
Mohammed al-Se'idi (N)

16)Miriam
Matar (N)

49

45

15

37

27

1.5

3

5

2m

11

30

4.5

6

32

72

75

Beit Hanoun

Beit Hanoun

Beit Hanoun

Gaza

Gaza

Gaza

Gaza

Gaza

Gaza

Gaza

Gaza

Gaza

Gaza

Gaza

Gaza

Gaza

Throughout the body

Throughout the body

Throughout the body

Throughout the body

Throughout the body

Throughout the body

Throughout the body

Throughout the body

Throughout the body

Throughout the body

Throughout the body

Throughout the body

Al-Daraj, Gaza

At approximately 23:55 on Monday, 22 July
2002, an Israeli F-16 fighter jet launched a missile that weighted 1 ton
at a 150-square-meter, two-story apartment building in al-Daraj
neighborhood in Gaza. Sheikh Salah Shehada, who is wanted by Israel, and
his family were living on the upper floor of the building. The missile
directly hit the building which located in a highly populated area. The
house and two others were totally destroyed and several adjacent houses
were seriously damaged. Fourteen Palestinian civilians, including 8
children, the youngest of whom was only 2-month-old, were killed. Two
women and their five children, and Sheikh Salah Shehada, his wife,
daughter, daughter and bodyguard, were among the victims. More than 70
civilians were also wounded.

11.

02/08/02

Amjad 'Abdul Hadi Jbour

35

Salem, Nablus

3
live bullets in the chest and
the neck

Salem, Nablus

Israeli forces forced a Palestinian civilian
to enter Jobour’s house and ordered him to get out with his hands over his
head and without clothes covering the upper part of the body. When Jbour
got out of the house, Israeli forces shot him dead.

12.

05/08/02

1)Khaled
‘Abdul
‘Aziz Seif (T)

2)Mohammed
Rida Far’ounia (N)

41

38

Burqa, Nablus

Burqa, Nablus

Several live bullets in the head

3
live bullets in the abdomen

Burqa, Nablus

While a number of activists of the Intifada
were inside the house of Mohammed Rida Khalil Far’ounia, 38, in Burqa
village, northwest of Nablus, Israeli occupying forces invaded the
village, and surrounded the house. One of the activists, Khaled ‘Abdul
‘Aziz Seif, 41, received a phone call on his mobile phone. When he went
to the balcony to receive the call, Israeli soldiers shot him dead with
several bullets striking his head. Far’ounia went out to investigate.
Soon, Israeli soldiers shot him dead.

13.

06/08/02

1)‘Ali
Mohammed
‘Ajouri (T)

2)Murad
Suleiman Marshud (T)

23

21

'Askar,
Nablus

Balata, Nablus

Shrapnel in the upper part of the body

Shrapnel in the upper part of the body and 4
heavy caliber bullets in the shoulders

Jaba', Jenin

Two Israeli combat helicopters launched two
missiles at a wooded area east of Jaba’ village, south pf Jenin. Then,
Israeli occupying forces searched and opened fire at the area. When the
helicopters moved away, residents of the area hurried to check whether
there were casualties as a result of the Israeli attack. They found
bodies of the two young men.

14.

07/08/02

1)Ziad
Mohammed Da’as (T)

2)Mohammed
Khamis Sa’ada (N)

3)Maher
Mohammed Jazmawi (N)

26

19

17

Tulkarm

Tulkarm

Tulkarm

A bullet in the head

A bullet in the shoulder

A bullet in the head

Tulkarm

An undercover unit of Israeli occupying forces
stole into Tulkarm in two trucks that had Palestinian registration
numbers, when the curfew imposed on the town was temporarily lifted. They
reached the centre of the town. As soon as Israeli soldiers got out of
the car, a Palestinian civilian noticed them and shouted warning people of
their presence. Israeli soldiers wounded him. Da’as, attempted to leave
a building in which he hid in through an external sewage pipeline. When
Israeli soldiers noticed him, they fired at him. He was shot by a live
bullet in the head. Soon, Israeli heavy military vehicles moved into the
town and re-imposed a curfew. An Israeli combat helicopter flew over the
town and opened fire at Palestinian houses. Two other Palestinians were
killed.

15.

07/08/02

Hussam Ahmed Hamdan (T)

28

Khan Yunis

3
live bullets in the chest

Khan Yunis

An Israeli tank the moved from a settlement in
the area shot him dead while he was at home.

16.

12/08/02

Ghazal Mohammed Fureihat (T)

21

Al-Yamun, Jenin

The head and the chest

Al-Yamun, Jenin

Israeli occupying forces surrounded the house
of Mohammed Hassan Fureihat and ordered its 13 residents through
loudspeakers to leave it.
They checked the family and
their identity cards and the Israeli soldiers took one of the family
members, Ghazal Mohammed Hassan Fureihat, 21. Then, the family heard
sounds of dozens of live bullets. An Israeli soldier told the family that
other Israeli soldiers shot dead their son..

17.

14/08/02

1)Nasser
Kahed Jarrar (T)

2)Nidhal
‘Abdul Ra’ouf Abu Muhsen (N)

44

19

Tubas, Jenin

Tubas, Jenin

Throughout the body

The head and the chest

Tubas, Jenin

Israeli forces forced Nidhal
‘Abdul Ra’ouf Abu Muhsen, 19,
and his uncle Younis Ahmed Ibrahim Daraghma, 22, to exit their houses and
took them to the cemetery of the village. Israeli occupying forces moved
into Tubas village. They forced Abu Muhsen to put on a bullet proof suit,
similar to that used by Israeli soldiers. They let a dog follow him.
They forced him to go to a house where Jarrar had shelter to persuade him
to surrender. Soon, an exchange of fire took place between Israeli
soldiers and Jarrar. Then, Israeli military bulldozers demolished the
house over Jarrar. Jarrar and Abu Muhsen were killed.

18.

20/08/02

Mohammed Sa’adat Yousef ‘Abdul Rasul (T)

20

Al-Bireh

The head and the chest

Ramallah

An undercover unit of Israeli occupying forces
fired at him from a very short distance. When discovered the presence of
the unit in a civilian car, he escaped and fire at them. Israeli soldiers
chased him and shot him dead with 8 live bullets.

19.

31/08/02

1)Ra'fat
Qadri Daraghma (T)

2)Sari
Mahmoud Subeih (N)

3)Yazid
Bassam Daraghma (N)

4)Ussama
Ibrahim Daraghma (N)

5)Bahira
BurhanDaraghma (N)

29

17

17

14

7

Tubas, Jenin

Tubas, Jenin

Tubas, Jenin

Tubas, Jenin

Tubas, Jenin

Throughout the body

Throughout the body

Throughout the body

Throughout the body

Throughout the body

Tubas, Jenin

Israeli
combat helicopters fired three missiles ata civilian car. The first missile hit the
ground, approximately 30m away from the car, the second one hit the back
side of the car, while the third one hit the car directly. Jihad Sawafta,
28, from Tubas, wanted by Israeli occupying forces, was traveling in the
car but was able to escape when the first missile hit the ground. He was
seriously wounded. Three people who were traveling in the car and two
passing children were killed.

20.

26/09/02

1)'Abdul
Rahim Hamdan (T)

2)'Eissa
'Ateya Baraka (T)

40

35

Khan Yunis

Khan Yunis

Throughout the body

Throughout the body

Sheikh Radwan, Gaza

Israeli combat helicopters fired two missiles
at a green Mercedes, in which Mohammed Dheif, accused by Israeli occupying
forces of leading Hamas' military wing in Gaza, and two of his guards were
traveling.
When the car arrived at the
crowded crossroads of al-Jalaa' Street and al-Nasser Street, two Israeli
combat helicopters fired two missiles at it. The car was destroyed and
the two guards were killed.

[2]On14
July, an Israeli F-16 fighter jet launched two missiles at an uninhibited
house owned by ‘Aabdul Rahman Yousef
‘Aabdul Wahab. The first missile
went astray. The northern part of the ground floor of ‘Abdul Wahab’s house
was destroyed. The second missile directly hit the facade, destroying parts
of the second and ground floors. The owner's son Yousef, 24, who is wanted
by Israeli occupying forces, was in the house with four of his friends. They
were all able to escape when the first missile was launched.

[3]Mohammed Ibrahim Matar, from Gaza, lost his eye
after he was hit by shrapnel from a missile launched by an Israeli F-116
fighter jet in an assassination attempt that targeted Sheikh Salah Shehada,
a Hamas leader. The attack left 16 Palestinians dead and 77 injured, while
11 houses were totally destroyed and 32 others were damaged.

[4]On 18 May 2001, an Israeli F-16 fighter jet
attacked the central prison of Nablus, killing 11 Palestinian policemen and
wounding dozens. Israeli occupying forces claimed that Mahmoud Abu Hannud,
the leader of Hamas military wing in the West Bank, was detained there.

[5]Jarrar was the third handicapped Palestinian to
be assassinated by Israeli occupying forces. On 12 May 2001, Israeli combat
helicopters launched missiles at a car, in which Mo'tassem al-Sabbagh,
physically handicapped, from Jenin refugee camp, traveled. He and another
Palestinian were killed. On 10 April 2002, Israeli occupying forces
assassinated Akram Sedqi al-Atrash Abu
Sneineh, 28, blind, from Hebron. They shelled the house he had
shelter in claiming that he fired at them.

[11]The Israeli military committee that carried out an
internal investigation into three incidents, in which more than 10
Palestinian civilians were killed by Israeli military fire, said that the
soldiers involved in all of the incidents "had followed correct procedure."
The Israeli Defense Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer ordered an investigation
into the circumstances in which more than 10 Palestinian civilians were
killed in Gaza, Tubas and Hebron in the period 28 August - 1 September. The
committee was formed of senior Israeli military officers and headed by Major
General Yitzhak Harel.
The first incident took place on 28 August 2002, when
an Israeli tank fired fletchette shells at a number of Palestinian civilians
who were on their agricultural land near "Netzarim" settlement, killing a
woman, her two sons and their cousin from the family of Abu al-Hajin.
The second incident took place in Tubas, on 31 August
2002, when two Israeli combat helicopters fired three missiles at a civilian
car in which 5 Palestinian civilians were traveling, in an attempt to
assassinate two Palestinian activists. One of the activists and two boys
were killed, while the other activist was able to escape after he was
seriously wounded. In addition, two children, who were playing near their
houses, were also killed.
The third incident took place on 1 September 2002,
when Israeli occupying soldiers broke into a marble company in Bani Na'im
village near Hebron, where five Palestinians were working, one of whom had
shortly before went to the bathroom. Israeli soldiers arrested the other
four workers, took them to a nearby space area and shot them dead. The
investigation committee presented its findings to Defense Minister Benjamin
Ben-Eliezer who welcomed them. The findings concluded that "Israeli soldiers
followed correct procedure." In the first two incidents, the committee
claimed, "Israeli soldiers identified several suspects who had broken into a
Jewish-owned plot of land." With regard to the incident of 31 August 2002 in
which two Palestinian children were killed by Israeli occupying forces,
along with other 3 Palestinians, the committee claimed that "the missile
that struck the children had gone astray due to a technical fault."